While there are those who describe the mounting national debt and the dysfunctional politics as the United States' biggest national security threat, what I heard in Washington told a totally different story: That the biggest potential threats are defense cuts and imminent and looming threats from all parts of the world.

That is probably why days before US President Barack Obama announced former Republican senator Chuck Hagel would be his new defense secretary, his opponents had already gone on the offensive vowing to block Hagel's confirmation.

Hagel's "crimes" are, according to his critics, his lack of loyalty toward Israel, lack of toughness on Iran, lack of resolve to use force, and an unwillingness to call some Muslim organizations terrorists.